The present invention relates to a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products.
In particular, the present invention relates to a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products, like sausages, by filing a flowable filling material along a feeding direction into a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing and closing said packaging casing by at least one closure means, like a closure clip on one of its front ends facing in the feeding direction. The clipping machine comprises a filling tube having a first end, a second end and a central axis, for feeding the filling material in the feeding direction into the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing stored on the filling tube. The first end of the filing tube is directed in the feeding direction and the second end can pivotally be coupled to a filler device. The clipping machine further comprises a casing brake assembly including brake means accommodated in a housing, for applying tension to the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing when being filled, gathering means for gathering the filled tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing and for forming a plait-like portion thereto, and a clipping device having a clipping tool assembly for applying and closing at least one closure means to the plait-like portion.
In the production of sausage-shaped products, like sausages, clipping machines are used. In these machines, filling material is fed into respective tubular or bag-shaped packing casings, and closure means, like substantially U-shaped closure clips, are applied to said packing casing for closing the packing casing at both of its ends. Additionally, loops for pendulous storing said packed goods, wrist straps and/or labels may be attached to the packing casing by means of the closure clip.
Conventionally, the tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing material is stored on the filling tube, and is pulled-off by the filling material when fed through the filling tube. For refilling tubular casing material onto the filing tube, it is known from EP patent 1 897 447 to provide a filling tube which comprises a joint construction at its end facing away from the clipping device or its rear end, and which is pivotably supported by said joint construction. For refilling a supply of tubular or bag-shaped casing material onto the filling tube, the filling tube is pivoted about the pivot axis of the joint construction. Thereby, the end of the filling tube facing the clipping device or its front end is moved away from the clipping machine.
As also known, a casing brake assembly is positioned on the front end of the filling tube for applying tension to the tubular or bag-shaped casing material when being pulled-off from the filling tube while being filled. For refilling tubular casing material onto the filling tube, the casing brake assembly may be arranged axially shiftable in the feeding direction of the filling material, to be removed from the front end of the filling tube. A casing brake assembly of this kind is known from DE patent 199 53 695.
After tubular casing material has been refilled, the filling tube is pivoted back by moving its front end towards the clipping machine, and the casing brake assembly is shifted onto the front end of the filling tube. For shifting the casing brake assembly back onto the filling tube, its front end has exactly to be positioned vis-a-vis the casing brake assembly or its opening being shifted onto the filling tube, in order to avoid damaging the tubular casing material or elements of the casing brake, like a brake ring, or the filling tube itself. In this known clipping machines, there is a gap between the front end of the filling tube and the casing brake assembly, at least in a situation before the casing brake assembly is shifted onto the filling tube. In this situation, an operator, after having refilled casing material onto the filling tube, may engage said gap, causing an injury, or any other things, like tools, may engage said gap, causing damages to the clipping machine or the casing material. Moreover, in case of a filling tube being pivotable about a pivot axis in the region of its rear end such correct positioning of the filling tube may not always be guaranteed.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a clipping machine with which the above mentioned drawbacks can be overcome and which allows a save operation of the clipping machine.